You know it’s officially spring in Minnesota when rain is unpredictable, temperatures fluctuate spasmodically, and baseballs, lacrosse sticks, and golf clubs are fished out of the supply closet for the first time since last year.
At Wayzata High School, most spring sports begin practices and tryouts in March, with many activities playing their first games in early to mid-April. Though seasons are typically short, they’re jam-packed with games and practices nearly every day. In addition, with more sports occurring in the spring than any other season, there’s much anticipation for upcoming weeks of exciting competition.
Boys Baseball
Baseball, led by head coach and ex-Gopher pitcher Bobby DeWitt, is back for another season after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Edina in the 2025 Section 6AAAA final. Captained by seniors Kieran Leatherman, Matthew Berkland, Sam Mohs, and Sam Bredemus, the program consists of five teams: Varsity, Junior Varsity, 10, 9A, and 9B, all of which practice and compete up to six days per week.
“The boys show up every day, we build close relationships,” mentioned Bredemus in a CCX Media interview. “Everyone loves the work, and we really just want to win.”
Since tryouts in mid-March, the varsity baseball team has won games against Buffalo, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Chanhassen. They remain hopeful to bring home the section title and know their hard work in batting cages, pitching practices, and skills clinics over the winter will give them a strong shot at gold.
Girls Softball
Similarly, softball recently played their first games following March tryouts. Captains Cyrena Carr, Alexa Larson, and Sophia Elswick are responsible for maintaining energy and spirit across the program’s three teams.
Coached by North Dakota State University alum Amy Kotzmacher, varsity recently competed against Buffalo, Hopkins, White Bear Lake, and Eden Prairie. In addition, they travelled to St. Cloud for a double-header against Bemidji and Rogers on April 11, braving freezing winds, rain, and sleet, a common problem for spring sports in Minnesota.
Having gone 10-10 last season and placing third in the Lake Conference, Kotzmacher emphasizes maintaining a strong, competitive program that ensures players become not just better players, but better teammates, students, and people.
Boys Volleyball
Boys volleyball was just recently added in 2025 as a sanctioned sport in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) after years of rallying for funding and support. The sport continues to gain popularity each year, with over ninety-one high schools registered in 2025.
Head coach Connor Syverson leads a varsity, junior varsity, and B team, all of which compete in one to two matches per week and plan on attending three invitational tournaments this season. In 2025, the team took second in the MSHSL Section 6A Championship.
So far, varsity has bested Edina, Maple Grove, and Saint Michael-Albertville, and they look forward to highly-anticipated matches against Minnetonka and Eden Prairie on the twenty-first and twenty-third, respectively.
With returning stars such as Mario Muro, Connor Voss, and Pablo Moreno Kunz, Wayzata boys volleyball is set for a successful season and hopes to continue to earn recognition for their hard work behind the net.
Track and Field
Track and Field is one of the largest and most successful programs at WHS, with a combined ten state championships across the boys’ and girls’ teams as well as hundreds of student-athletes participating in events such as shot-put, pole vaulting, sprinting, relays, and long distance.
Aaron Berndt and Alicia Pierskalla are the respective coaches of the boys’ and girls’ programs, which compete in weekly meets against other schools across the metro. More recently, the girls’ team bested Minnetonka and Edina in an April 14th meet while the boys won a Lake Conference Relays meet on the tenth.
With both teams going undefeated in the Lake Conference so far, the program is hopeful to continue their success in future meets and potentially take home two more state titles.
Lacrosse
Led by coaches Chad Herr and Madison Kidd, Wayzata lacrosse offers a competitive program with three teams – varsity, junior varsity, and B – for both boys and girls.
The program experienced success in 2025, with the boys’ team going 12-4 and taking second in the section tournament, and the girls’ team going 12-3 before falling to Benilde-St. Margaret’s in the section semifinal.
Before games start, lacrosse focuses on practicing inside domes and developing skills in preparation for the spring season. This is essential for the team’s success, as warm-up time ensures the program doesn’t fall behind once games start and builds team camaraderie.
So far, it seems their hard work has paid off. The boys’ team is 2-0, besting Saint Michael-Albertville 5-4 and Mahtomedi 14-4. The girls’ team fell to Orono 7-13 on the thirteenth, but bounced back to beat St. Michael-Albertville 10-3. The program hopes to keep this momentum and carry it with them the rest of the season.
Boys Tennis
Boys tennis, led by Hall-of-Fame coach Jeff Prodzinski, is back for the 2026 season after having won three consecutive MSHSL State Championships, losing just once during their remarkable run.
So far, the team has continued their dominance, shutting out Eastview, Buffalo, Rochester Mayo, and Saint Michael-Albertville 7-0. The program is eyeing a fourth straight state title and understands the level of competition they’ll face this year between Edina, Minnetonka, and Mounds View.
”We’re going to definitely have to work hard and take it day by day if we want to get to the point where we could be the first four time state champions for AA,” mentioned Prodzinski in a Game Set Cast interview.
Though another championship won’t be easy, Wayzata boys tennis undoubtedly has what it takes for a successful season, between coaching, work ethic, and talent.
Golf
Headed by respective coaches Casey Zylla and Mike Schumacher, the boys’ and girls’ golf teams have won a combined nine state championships since 1977, their most recent one in 2017.
The boys’ program, which consists of a varsity, junior varsity, and B squad, has worked hard over the past year to prepare for the spring season. “We start with offseason workouts in the fall, and we have optional swing sessions at Medina country club every Monday after school,” stated Zylla. “In the winter, we have optional offseason workouts on Mondays and Fridays in the gym.”
The boys’ team finished second place on April 9 in a thirty-school invitational, while the girls’ team took fourth in a Conference Meet on the 14th. Their program comprises a varsity and junior varsity team, both of which compete in one to two matches per week, similarly to the boys’ team. In 2025, the girls took home third in the state championship.
The golf teams remain confident in their hard work both in the spring and during the offseason. “Our goal is to see continual improvement from where we were last year,” expressed Zylla. “One of the big goals all our players have is to win the section and make it to state.”
With many more meets still to go in April, May and June, the program hopes to grow in both mindset and skill over the course of the season. With their early successes in the rearview mirror, the team can concentrate on improving their game for the future.
Girls Badminton
Coached by David Lu, girls badminton is a competitive program consisting of a varsity, junior varsity, and C-team. This season marks Wayzata Girls Badminton’s first after officially becoming a varsity sport at WHS earlier this year.
The team has gone 4-2 so far, besting Camden, Minnetonka, Burnsville, and Bloomington Kennedy. They will go on to rematch Minnetonka and play Tartan, Eden Prairie, and Park Center later in the month.
Girls Synchronized Swim
Synchronized Swim, led by head coach Natalie Bodin, combines dance, athleticism, and gymnastics into exquisite routines performed in the water. The team won an exceptional thirteen consecutive state championships from 2007-2019.
Wayzata “Synchro,” as it’s called by swimmers, has won meets this season against both Edina and Eden Prairie 29-0 and 21-8, respectively. They will also face Hopkins later in the season and hope to take home another state title.
Clay Target
Finally, Clay Target is a competitive program that participates in three disciplines: American trap, American skeet, and sporting clays. Players aim shotguns at moving discs in the air meant to simulate birds, receiving points for each broken target.
The team is run by Michelle Jacklitch, who appoints coaches and captains to lead players at tournaments across the metro.
Conclusion
As spring sets in, players look forward to their brief but exciting, impactful seasons where they’ll make lifelong memories with teammates and coaches. Consider tuning into a game or two either in person or online to celebrate the success of Wayzata’s talented, hard-working student-athletes!
